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P L A T E LXXXIII.
MOII.EA TRICOLOR.
Three-coloured Morcea.
C L A S S in. ORDER L TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Three Chives. One Pointah
G E N E E I C
CA LYX. Spathae bivalves.
COKOLLA hexapetala, patens; pétala tria interiora
patentia, angußiora.
STAMINA. Filamenta tria, brevia. Antherae oblongoe.
PISTILLCJM. Germen inferum, oblongum. Stylus
fimplex, breviflimus. Stigmata tria,
bifida.
P E K I C A K P I U M . Capfula trigona, trifulcata, trilocularis.
SEMINA plurima, rotunda.
C H A E A C T E R .
EMFALEMENT. Sheaths of two valves.
BLOSSOM fix petals, fpreading; the three innermoft
petals are more fpread out and narrower.
CHIVES. Three fliort threads. Tips oblong.
P O I N T A L . Seed-bud beneath and oblong. Shaft
limple, and very lliort. Summits three,
two-cleft.
SEED-VESSEL. Capfule three fided, three-furrowed,
three cells.
SEEDS many, and round.
S P E C I F I C CHARACTES.
Moreea fcapo teriti; foliis radicalibus, lanceolatis,
canaliculatis, fcapo longiores; ííoribus
terminalibus, tricoloratis.
E E P E R E N C E TO THE PLATE.
1. An outer Petal of the BloiTom.
2. An inner Petal of the fame.
3. The Chives and Pointal; the petals being cut off, to expofe the fituation of the Chives hid
under the fummits.
To G. Hibbert, Efq. of Clapham Common, we owe the introduilion of this beautiful little Morasa, he
having received it from his colleftor at the Cape, in the fpring of 1799. It is certainly a pcrfedly
new fpecies here, and we believe has not been feen to flower in Europe before, as it is not in the
exteniive Colle6lions, of the Emperor of Germany; at leaft it is not to be found amongft the many
figured by Profeflbr Jacquin. The very fhort duration of the bloflbms, at firft, had determined us
to name it fpecifically, fugax; but finding we were anticipated in that name, by Jacquin, in his
Hortus. III. tab. 26, we have adopted that of tricolor. The drawing was made at Clapham this
year, in Oflober; although we conceive the regular feafon for its blowing would be, June, or July,
if planted like other Cape bulbs in autumn. The only means of feeing this plant in perfeflion, is,
by keeping it entirely from the air when near flowering, as it is too delicate to bear the leaft expofure;
it begins to expand about twelve o'clock, and is quite decayed by three. From every appearance,
without a fupply from the Cape, this delicate little bulb will, (as many others have) be foon
loft to this country.
Morfea with a round flower-ftem; the leaves
grow from the root, are lance-fliaped, channelled,
and longer than the flower item;
the flowers are terminal, and three-coloured.